Corrupted Fantasies: The Return to Madness
by BosBaBe
Summary: The time has come for Maka to stand up to Crona, saving what's left of his soul. But with the two of them free falling into a world they can't hope to begin to understand, they must fight against the twisted forces threatening to consume them both. CroMa
1. Prologue

**~Prologue~**

Madness. It consumes and destroys and corrupts. A darkness that spreads like a disease, and leaves little or nothing in its wake. Like the tides and the waves of the ocean, it laps hungrily at the shore, creeping further up the sand until it swallows everything, leaving nothing behind but never ending black.

And what can one do, but watch as it slowly eats you alive? From the inside out, from the outside in…

Madness is corruption. Madness is disease. And like sin, it will only grow and expand.

Can you just let it be?

Purity. Gentle and warm, rich and sweet, it shatters the darkness and sets us free. Our saving grace, here to free us from the never ending tides, to pulls us back before we drift away. Kind yet firm, it's like the chains that hold us out over the abyss, keeping us from the never ending free fall, but never truly pulling us up. It's all we have left to cling too, and all we have left to save us from the fates we deserve. The fates that have been handed to us because of our own selfish desires and the fears that we try to hide.

Can it save us still?

And now they collide. Swirling and clashing and eating off the other, consuming and devouring and burning until they leave nothing but destruction in their twisted wakes. Forces of good and bad, battling it out over something neither should deserve to have. We find ourselves trapped, confused and pained and lost, forces we can't explain twisting and dancing around us before pulling us down, further and further down until everything we knew is wrong and everything we came to believe in turns to painful doubts. A stream of paradoxes and lies that slowly drowns and smothers us. A canvas splattered mindlessly with paint until the colors can do nothing but drip and merge and seep into the other, killing one another and giving birth to something new.

A battle between good and evil, between right and wrong, between damnation and forgiveness, between light and darkness.

A battle of the souls…

~Swirling

Turning and surrounding us

Our Sadistic _Wonderland_

All the Good and the Bad

Painted before us like a Canvas.

We are the _Red_ and the _Black_

Living and dying

In this Madness Fairytale~

This is the beginning of the end, the end of the beginning, and the destruction of everything in between...

**Ω**

* * *

><p><strong>Yes folks, I am officially writing another CroMa fanfic. And not just any CroMa fanfic, oh no. This has a different theme of sorts, with more than just normal Soul Eater. It's a CroMa story with themes from...*drum roll please*<strong>

**Alice: Madness Returns, the game from American Mcgee**

**Yes, I DID go there, and trust me, I don't regret it! **

**This game is amazing, and all the way through playing it, I couldn't help but see Crona and Maka in it wherever I looked. I'm utterly in love with the game, and thus, decided to combine my love for Alice with my love for CroMa. **

**So, time for the official plot: (based on events in the Manga) (and NO, this is not a crossover, so even if you don't like Alice or know about it, you can still read the story! Don't be scared 3)**

**The time has come for fates to collide, and for Maka to finally face her Crona, hoping against hope she can save whats left of his soul. But it's easier said than done. Pulling him into her soul, both Maka and Crona find themselves falling deeper and deeper, before getting lost in a world they can't explain, a twisted, fantastical Wonderland where the world and it's inhabitants are far more bizarre and fantastic than they have any right to be.**  
><strong>But something is wrong. Something is terribly, terribly wrong.<strong>  
><strong>Maka's haven is being destroyed, poisoned piece by piece, killing her from the inside out. It's up to her and her reluctant companion to save her precious Wonderland, and in doing so, save whats left of their minds and souls.<strong>  
><strong>But can they do it? Can they fight the rolling tide of black? And can they piece together the shattered fragments of Crona's memories, before they drown with them?<strong>  
><strong>Everything is not as they appear, and nothing is as it seems. And who can they trust? And what's more...<strong>  
><strong>Can they dare to fall in love, when everything threatens to tear them apart forever?<strong>

**This is the beginning of the end, the end of the beginning, and the destruction of everything in between.**

**Themes: Adventure, Romance, Horror, hurt/comfort**

**Rating: M for violence, gore, language, and sexual themes (yes, there will be a lemon)**

**Pairing: Male!Crona x Maka**

**Sound entertaining? Sound interesting? Gods it had better... **

**And I've been talking about this with my beloved CroMa buddies forever now, and they have helped me all the way though! 3 I love you guys, thank you so much for all the help and support! It must have taken a great deal of patience to deal with me and my obsessiveness! Thank you again for everything, and I love all of you!**

**And as for the rest of you, hope you enjoyed this first chapter, and I hope to update soon! And for all you Entwined readers out there, don't panic, I'll be updating Entwined same as I always do! I won't let these two stories muscle in on each other! So don't be afraid to read! 3**

**Hope to update soon! :3 AND NO FLAMES!**

**Note: The poem in the centre was written by a close friend of mine on DA, RolosLover. She gets the credit for it, since I suck at poetry XD. Thank you again Rolo-chan! 3  
><strong>


	2. Down the Rabbit Hole

**Down the Rabbit Hole**

The sky over head was dark and gloomy, the nighttime sky swallowed up by ugly, sickly grey clouds that swirled and twisted in the air, as if they were alive and withering. The cloud bellies flashed a brilliant white in the distance, and soon after the rumbling booms of thunder crashed through the warm night air, filling the air with an electric charge that sent the hair on the back of your neck to rising. A storm was brewing, and it was only getting closer and more powerful with every second.

But there was more than one storm on the way. In fact, one had just taken place, and all though it certainly wasn't an act on Mother Nature's part, it was still far more deadly than any could possibly imagine.

And the storm was finally dying down, and although this would have brought relief to some, it only heightened the terror and fear of those involved, the young Meisters voices and screams piercing through the pulsing air.

But Maka Albarn was oblivious to their screams, the young Death Scythe Meister lying limp on the rubble strewn ground, her body racked with painful tremors. Her eyes were screwed tightly shut, her pale face dirty and bruised and contorted with agony. Crimson blood trailed from the corner of her mouth, and her hands held onto her paralyzed scythe Soul in a stubborn death grip, as if terrified of letting him go. And all the while Soul lay completely silent, as still as the grave with blood dripping from his metal body, painting the floor around them in shining red, mirroring his wide, terror filled red eyes.

It was all over. She had lost, and it was all for nothing.

Maka had known she would be facing the single most impossible feat in her entire life, she had known from the start. She'd lain awake at night for the past two years of her life dreaming up this moment, imagining how it would take place, lulling herself to sleep with comforting day dreams of holding her beloved in her arms again, crying into him and pulling him closer, relishing the moment of finally being together again. She'd imagined the look on his face when he saw her for the first time, imagined how happy he'd be, how relieved and overwhelmed he'd be. She'd imagined the adoration in his dark grey eyes, imagined his soft voice filled with teary happiness and longing and joy and everything that came with a moment such as the one she sought after. It had consumed her entire being, this wonderful dream of hers. It had helped soothe the terror and guilt she felt, helped to ease the pain and heart break and longing she felt. It had been her most precious treasure, and over time she had become deluded by it, believing in something that couldn't possibly be true.

And she could see it now, how truly wrong she had been.

Because the object of her desires stood over her, pale face blank and uncompassionate, his once beautiful grey eyes filled with swirling malice and horrifying madness. Dull and messy violet hair hung around his pale, blood smeared face, and his soft lips were turned down, as if the sight of her was hurting him but boring him at the same time. His slender but well-formed body shivered ever so slightly in the heated air, as if he himself was in pain, burning on the inside, and his pale hands gripped away at his sword arm and the grip of his broad sword for dear life, his knuckles white as bone, as if he was trying to break himself. Eerie, all too terrifying black blood swirled around him like inky tendrils, whipping at the air and lashing out at invisible foes that only they could see, and on the sides of his black robed body three red, disgusting Kishin eyes glowed, looking this way and that before staring down at her, as if hungry to finish off their prey.

Crona Gorgon, her beloved Demon Swordsman and soul mate, was not the same as he had once been. He was almost unrecognizable, and it sent her heart to aching and her eyes to burning with unshed tears as she gazed up at him, staring at the one she had come to devote her entire life to.

And he was about to end it, his sword pointed right at her heart, the black blade fiery red with her own blood.

She had thrown away everything she held close, and it had all come down to this, her death at the hands of the one she cared about above all else.

Silence lay like a heavy blanket over the two of them as they looked into each other's eyes, both looking for things they couldn't hope to find. The demon searching for hatred and anger, the angel for love and compassion. But they were both sorely denied, and it shattered both their hearts.

"I don't understand you, let alone know how to deal with you," Crona finally muttered, taking a step towards her, his insane eyes filled with confusion and a small amount of seething anger. Maka took in a shaky breath as she felt him tuck his sword beneath her chin, lifting her face up higher almost gently, like a lover lifting the face of his beloved so he could smother her in adoring kisses and caresses. But he was no lover, and he was certainly not going to kiss her.

"Why aren't you angry? Where's your hatred? It's what I deserve, right? Is it not? But all you do is look at me…with t-those g-green eyes…"

She saw him grimace, gritting his teeth and giving another violent shudder, his whole body withering. She watched him give a hiss and turn away, his eyes screwed tightly shut as pain cursed through his body.

"T-those eyes, filled with c-compassion, l-love, t-tenderness, kindness and…disappointment. M-my Maka i-is disappointed in me! My Maka-person…"

At that, he shot back to look at her, his eyes filled with terror and heart break, "Y-you are, aren't you? Y-you're ashamed! I-I h-hurt you, you expected b-better! I'm sorry! N-no, no I'm not, but I am!"

Without warning he let out a strangled shriek, stumbling back as if burnt, his hand shooting up to clutch his face, as if hiding from her, unable to look anymore. Maka watched with wide, heartbroken eyes as she saw her companion wither and twist before her eyes, as if he was being eaten from the inside out.

"Who the fuck are you? It h-hurts to look at you! I hate you, I hate you I hate you! B-but that's a lie! I c-can't bear to hate y-you! I-I want…I want so badly! I need…b-but who the hell are you? I can't stand you!"

He shook and huddled up, doubling over and sobbing, still clutching at one side of his face, undoubtedly leaving bruises on his handsome, pale skin. He sobbed and screeched and wailed for a few moments longer, causing tears to stream down Maka's cheeks and causing her heart to shatter.

"O-oh god, Crona…" she whispered, her voice trembling with sorrow and longing, her heart reaching out for him desperately. But she couldn't reach him, and she watched as he went still at the sound of her voice, his body only giving the occasion tremor beneath his form fitting, inky black Kishin robe. His breathing slowly stilled, and she heard him take in a breath, tears still streaming down what skin she could see to drip to the broken ground at his feet.

"Y-you loved me once. You were the only one who did. My M-Maka person, she loved me…and now I've hurt her. I've betrayed her…oh g-god…I c-can't deal with this…!"

Maka shook her head, letting go of Soul and reaching out for him with both hands, her slender fingers reaching desperately for him, "Crona, you didn't…I know how you feel, it's o-,"

But his next words stopped her dead, cutting her off and sending her eyes wide with horror.

"This p-pain, it's too much for me. I c-could never get rid of you…my final tie. B-but I will now," he muttered, looking back at her at last, his hand falling away to reveal inky black, crazed eyes. A hideous, inhuman smile spread across his face, revealing white, vicious teeth that seemed to laugh at her.

"I'll kill you, because I don't know better! Or I do, but I don't…but what the fuck does it matter? You'll die, and I'll die inside…it would be better off this way!" with that he laughed, a sick and twisted sound, devoid of any happiness or genuine mirth, filled only with the sound of painful madness, "Oh god this hurts! It hurts! I hurt so much, I could just _die!_"

With that, his sword liquefied and slithered down to his body, rejoining its companions as the tendrils began to snake and fan out around them, creeping up the ruins around them and seeping across the floor. Maka watched with wide eyes, before looking up to Crona, both of them staring at each other with wide eyes.

Crona seemed to sense her fear, and he nodded, his smile shrinking ever so slightly, "Don't worry. It'll be over for both of us soon enough. I-it's the end…I don't think I can deal with it, but what choice do I have? I want this to end, one way or another. Y-you understand, right, my precious little one?"

Maka felt her heart sink, but after a moment, she felt something click inside her, something she had forgotten until now.

Not looking away from him, Maka reached into her uniform pocket, pulling out a large, silver necklace, a strange symbol dangling off a slender chain. She cupped it in her hand and looked at it, admiring the beautiful symbol and the way the light danced off of its smooth surface and gentle curves.

Her mother had given it to her before she'd left her and her father. She'd placed it in her daughter's hands and had kissed her forehead, whispering to her gently as Maka had stared up at her, trying to put on a brave face for her courageous mother.

_It's an Omega, sweetie. It means the ultimate, or the end of something. You've grown up, Maka. I'm sure you'll find a use for it one day, in due time._

Maka hadn't fully understood why her mother had given it to her. Did it symbolize the end of her life with her parents being together? It had hurt to think that, but she'd known that was probably what it was meant for. And she'd sworn to herself she'd keep it forever, in hopes of finding a better reason for it, and hoping that what her mother had said would come true for her. And she might have just found it, the reason why she had gotten this beautiful necklace in the first place.

_I want this to end, one way or another. Y-you understand, right, my precious little one?_

The blond Meister felt a smile tug at her lips, and she felt her throat clench, tears brimming in her eyes once more. Taking her Omega she pressed it to her lips, kissing it, closing her eyes briefly as she did so, allowing her tears to slip from her eyes and trail down her cheeks.

"Yes, I do understand."

And with that, Maka staggered to her feet, still clutching her necklace in the palm of her hand, the now heated silver burning against her icy cold skin. Her green eyes fixed on Crona, ignoring the black blood already moving towards her, she staggered over to him and fell against him, her face burying in the crook of his neck and her arms snaking around him to pull herself close, pressing herself flush against him.

"I understand completely, Crona…" she whispered against his neck, her tears dripping to his skin and trailing down beneath his collar. She felt him stiffen against her, before melting, the pre-Kishin wrapping his slender but strong arms around her, pulling her as close to himself as possible.

"I k-knew you would. I suppose you always did. Or didn't you? I don't know anymore."

"How could I not? I cared too much, I always have."

"Why would you?"

"Does it matter? Don't let me go, Crona, please…"

"I won't, I can't, I wouldn't. I need you…"

"I do too…I couldn't do without you…"

"I see…M-Mad Blood…"

She felt his arms tighten around her, and Maka closed her eyes, snuggling closer to him and sucking in a breath as she felt his black blood swallow them up, rising up over their heads and pulling them under. Darkness smothered and tightened around them, squeezing them as if trying to crush all the air out of them, and Maka tightened her arms around Crona, feeling him do the same to her.

They were going to drown. He was killing them both.

But Maka wouldn't let him get away with it, no matter how much he wanted it.

Tightening her fingers around her pendant, ignoring her need for oxygen, Maka pressed it against his back, pressing so hard she might as well have been trying to force it inside him. She felt him jerk in confusion, but she ignored him, screwing her eyes shut and pressing harder.

_This isn't the end. Not yet. I'm not finished yet, Crona._

She felt her wavelength explode, bursting into life and flowing around them, blue light shining around them like a beacon in the inky black ocean. Crona reacted instantly, trying to release her and push her away, but she held on, grimacing as she glued herself to him, her purifying wavelength causing him to kick and buck.

_I won't let you break your promise. Not now. Not again!_

Struggling, the two of them fought it out, twisting and kicking and bucking in her soul wavelength, her soul seeping towards his and causing him to scream out into the blood around them, his eyes open wide with agony. He pushed and shoved but didn't hurt her, and Maka rubbed her cheek against his, refusing to let go and give in to his pathetic efforts.

It would be over soon. She could already feel his soul touching hers, his red winged soul burning sinfully against hers. It was so tainted, so black and poisoned and diseased; it almost made her cry again. This was the worst it had ever been, she could barely feel her Crona inside it, like it was swallowing him up and drowning him too. She knew it was, it was happening right now.

But he was _there_, she could feel him. He was small and hurt and confused, but he was there. And that was all that mattered.

There was no hope of saving him by entering into his soul. Oh no, not now, not when it was so black. It would kill them both. And even if she tried, where would she look? There was no starting point, no root of the problem. His soul was a shattered mess; there was no hope inside it.

But he wasn't gone. She could still save him, she knew she could. It was simple, but utterly terrifying at the same time, and she knew he wouldn't take it well.

If she couldn't enter his soul, what was stopping her from bringing him into her own?

_I am a Grigori, a pure soul. And I will be your saving grace, whether you want it or not!_

Grabbing hold of his soul with hers, Maka began to pull, dragging him kicking and screaming into her soul, feeling as Crona let out an ear splitting howl in the darkness, his body arching against her. But she ignored his screams of agony and denial, and she tightened her arms around him, her fingers digging into his back.

_You're mine now, you can't get away!_

Everything was going as she expected, but without warning, the ground was pulled out from beneath her feet.

Literally.

In mere seconds she had gone from floating in darkness, surrounded by thick, smothering blood to suspended in cold, empty air, the blood disappearing in an instant. Crona's screams picked up in tempo, shattering her ears, before suddenly cutting off, the young man going silent in horror.

Maka too opened her eyes, looked down, and screamed.

Because she was free falling. She fell out the sky, and unable to hold on she let go of Crona, the two of them falling apart as she lost him in the darkness, the young man crying out in shock as he too plummeted down into the dark.

"Crona!" she shrieked, tumbling and falling, reaching out for where he had been moments before. But he was gone, and she couldn't hope to find him again. All she could see was darkness, the air icy cold as it rushed by her, sending her hair flying and turning her skin colder than it already was.

But soon things got more bizarre than she could have ever imagined. And for the moment, Crona slipped from her mind completely.

Something wasn't right…

Falling, Maka watched as the darkness around her turned to sparkling fog, stars shining through the brilliant colors, colors ranging from blue to green to purple and everything in between. Looming from the fog she watched in stunned disbelief as clocks and gears, furniture and weapons, books and skull masks, as well as children's toys and things she had once loved throughout her life became visible, suspended in midair as she went by. She saw a piano playing by itself, its keys making horrible, out of tune sounds, and she could hear the clocks ticking and the gears whirling, ticking down towards some dead line. She saw blades and weapons flash before her eyes, along with playing cards, ranging from hearts to clubs and diamonds. She saw things she couldn't begin to understand, and even those she did she stared at in disbelief, unable to believe what she was seeing.

None of this was possible. This was insane. Was she going mad in the Mad Blood? Had she died already? Yes, she must be dead, this wasn't happening. She wasn't falling down some beautiful hole full of house hold odds and ends, she just couldn't be.

And she wasn't hearing these eerie voices either, voices of the people she loved drifting through the air around her like ghostly mantras.

_Crona's been put on Shinigami's List, and you as Spartoi have been ordered to execute him._

_Look Maka, a flower!_

_I love you, sweetie. Your papa loves you more than anything else!_

_Don't worry; I'll protect you, Maka!_

_You can't throw your life away for him!_

And she was falling faster and faster, picking up speed. And the ticking was getting louder, more incessant, filling her ears and causing her to wince, her head pounding as the sound of ticking clockwork pounded over and over in her head like a drill, only getting worse.

_So this is madness…_

_I don't know how to deal with others…_

_We looked everywhere, we did all we could. We're sorry Maka._

_He'll drive you mad, if he hasn't already!_

_A sound soul, resides in a sound mind, and sound body._

She was going to die. She could see the bottom now, a huge clock with its hands spinning faster than they should, picking up speed and ticking down to some final deadline, racing towards the midnight hour. As she raced towards it the ticking and whispers filled her ears, causing her to cry out in agony as they roared in her head, getting faster and faster and always louder.

_Oh that can't be helped. We're all mad here…_

_Come on Maka sweetie, tell mamma about your Wonderland! _

_Time's running out for you, girly!_

_Come on Maka, you don't want to miss the train, do you?_

_Wonderland…_

_M-Maka!_

With this final ghostly scream ringing through her ears, Maka hit the glass clock face, striking it just as the hands hit the twelve with a boom, stopping and causing an eerie clock chime to ring through the air. She screamed as she hit the glowing glass, agony piercing through her as she crashed through it and out the other side, shattering the clock and breaking it up into giant, glowing white shards. Letting out a silent, agonized scream, Maka felt herself continue to fall, and she wondered if she'd keep falling forever.

It certainly felt that way. Now she was sure she was dead. Crona had killed her and eaten her soul and she was falling straight to hell.

And as she dared to look around, she couldn't help but feel coldly certain she was right.

Because the beautiful, strange world she'd been falling through was gone. The air had turned searing, and she could see oozing, slimy black liquid falling around her, sliding down strange industrial pipes and gears and machinery. Flames and molten lava flowed and burst, mixing with the black liquid and filling the air with the foulest stench she had ever smelt. It smelt like burning death, mixed with decay and rot and blood and oil. It was disgusting, and Maka felt her eyes burn with tears, the young woman gagging even as she fell.

And that wasn't the worst of it.

Mixed in the black and the flames, molded to the pipe work, were the heads of baby dolls, blank, terrifying faces looking out at her as she fell past, their empty mouths and eye sockets leaking and oozing what Maka was now certain was black blood. Skull faces and Kishin eyes peeped out from behind the pipes, and Maka could have sworn she heard the sound of machinery roaring and children screaming and crying, intertwined with the sound of something vibrating through the air, something she couldn't quite make out. It sounded almost like something running on tracks…

But her thoughts were shattered as the final pipe works disappeared, fading into the distance above her as she fell into total darkness, the world around her turning a dark, ominous shade of midnight blue. Maka felt all the air burst from her lunges, and she let out a gasp as her body gave a jerk, something building up inside her and causing lights to flash before her eyes, her head spinning.

So this was it. Her time was up.

Letting out a low cry, Maka righted herself in the air and arched back, spreading her arms as her soul wavelength burst into life around her, exploding with a bang and glowing bright blue and causing shock waves to shoot out into the darkness around her. Her Grigori wings burst from her soul, causing her body to light up blue and white, the Scythe Meister glowing brighter than any star, her wings and arms outspread and her one leg raised elegantly, her clothes billowing around her and changing instantaneously into something unrecognizable, blue ripples dancing across them.

And as the light died around her, her wings fading away, Maka felt herself lose consciousness, the young woman going still as she hung out in space, body limp and motionless like that of a rag doll. The whole world turning black, swallowing her up and locking her away, Maka couldn't help but release the Omega she still held in her hand, allowing the small silver pendant to fall from her limp fingers. And as it fell, it shone a brilliant white, before shattering, falling to pieces in the air.

And then everything finally went black.

* * *

><p>Warmth. That was the first thing she noticed. She'd been either freezing or boiling earlier, but now all she could feel was soft, welcoming warmth, soothing her and washing over her like a gentle, comforting blanket. It soothed her and heated her up, turning her insides to jelly and relaxing her tense muscles.<p>

And that was the second thing she noticed. She knew she should be in agony, or perhaps even on the brink of death after such a terrifying fall, not to mention the battle she had been involved in. But oddly enough, she felt perfectly fine. In fact, she felt better than just fine. She felt _amazing_, like she could do almost anything. Her body felt more alive than it had ever been, and she felt strangely light, like she weighed less than nothing.

Was she really dead? Because if this was death, then perhaps it wasn't half as bad as she had thought it would be.

And she could hear and feel the world around her, things that were totally normal. She heard the sound of a trickling creak, the sounds of birds sing and animals scattering across the undergrowth. She could feel a light breeze ruffling her hair, and she could feel warm sunlight on her skin, setting her body aglow.

Perhaps this was heaven?

But how could it be? This felt so real, and she felt so alive! She couldn't be dead! Whatever this was, surely it couldn't be bad, right?

Opening her forest green eyes, Maka took a look around herself, taking in her surroundings for the first time. And as she did, she felt her eyes go wide, the young woman sucking in a gasping breath as she stared at the place she found herself in.

She was suspended in mid air, looking down at a fantastic, brilliantly colored vale, beautiful trees and flowers surrounding grassy clearings and a beautiful, stunning blue stream that trickled down a series of waterfalls and fountains, the sound of trickling streams singing in her ears along with the strange and magical birdsong she heard. Brilliant clouds breezed high above her, and the smiling sun beamed down at her, his usually terrifying face strangely peaceful in this amazing place. Butterflies danced in the air around her, and she saw bizarre, brightly colored birds chasing each other in the air, chirping and singing and filling the air with their melodies.

And not only that, but everything was strangely beyond imagining, overly fantastical and completely out of this world. She could see giant dice floating in the sky, along with marbles and spinning tops and paper birds and all the things she had adored to play with as a child. A large blue marble floated by her, and Maka waved her hand slightly, causing it to drift away gently, swirling in the air like a mini globe.

Stunned, Maka stared around her with large green eyes, amazed and utterly bemused. This was the last thing she had expected…but strangely, this place was familiar, in some bizarre, nonsensical way. She felt like she knew everything, but didn't. It was like returning to your childhood home near the end of your life. Nothing was right, but it felt familiar, felt like home, but you knew it really wasn't. Not anymore at least.

She'd never been in this place in her life, she had no idea where she was or why she was here, but she didn't mind at all.

Allowing herself to drift down, Maka glided slowly towards the ground, drifting beneath the tree tops to land on the edge of the cliff, beside the stream and the waterfall that plunged down to the valley and forests below that seemed to drift further and further into the distance, floating mountains soaring high up in the sky above, suspended in mid air as if on strings. A flock of giant, half cow half parrots flew past her, bright colors gleaming, and she frowned, a smile tugging at her lips as she tried to fight down laughter. If anything, that was truly ridiculous.

Touching down on the stunning green grass, Maka looked around once more with wide, astonished eyes, taking in her surroundings. She could see giant, multicolored mushrooms, and ahead of her, she could see the source of the stream, a giant carving in the rock face in the form of herself, her expression filled with strangely peaceful sadness as she wept, crystal clear water streaming down from her stone eyes to fall in the glittering stream at its base. It was unsettling to see herself in such a way, but she decided t would be best to think nothing of it.

Finally, taking a breath, Maka looked down, fearful that she might not be the same as she had been when she came here. After seeing all of this, she wouldn't be surprised to find she herself was half cow half Meister. Perhaps with an udder or hooves or patches of spots. Or perhaps her skin had turned purple or something, just to fit the theme. She certainly wouldn't be shocked at all.

But what she saw next took her breath away.

Her skin was perfect and unblemished, her cuts, scars and bruises completely gone, leaving her skin pale and milky and as smooth as silk. And not only that, but her Spartoi uniform was gone, replaced with an outfit she had never seen in her entire life, or even dreamed of being able to wear.

She was dressed in a stunning, emerald green steam punk dress, complete with corset and black buckles that hugged her body and stopped just beneath her breasts. Beneath it was a dress that fanned out around her legs, coming to about above her knees and fanning out around her, with a frilly, soft petticoat beneath it. She had white coat tails at her back and a string of silver jewels at her hip, and a large green bow joined at her corset at the back, with the all too familiar Shinigami skull in between the bows. Her arms were covered in smooth, white gloves with black buckles connecting it to the puffy white sleeves of her dress. Her legs where covered in black leggings, more buckles riding up her legs, and she wore a pair of black boots much like her previous ones, yet more slender than they usually were. But strangely, her dress wasn't clean at all. The front, to her horror was painted in crimson red blood splatter, staining the perfect material, making her look like come macabre steam punk princess.

But in itself the outfit was amazing, and she stared at it, turning this way and that and gazing at it with wide, shining eyes, as if unable to believe she could be wearing such a thing.

"Steam punk, really? Now that is _truly _unexpected, coming from you."

Maka let out a shriek, spinning around and looking about wildly, her hands raised to defend herself. She prepared to lash out, but she stopped mid swing, eyes wide.

There was nothing there. And yet, she knew who it was who had spoken to her.

"Soul! Soul, you damn jerk you! Show yourself, I'm quite on edge right now!"

She heard a chuckle, and she let out a screech of alarm as right before her face, a set of eyes and a grinning smile materialized out of nowhere, red eyes glowing brighter than they had any right to, "Oh really? That's good, if you're not on edge then your fat ass and ankles take up too much space."

Maka watched in horror and disbelief as her Death scythe faded into existence in front of her, piecing himself together out of nothing, coming back into visibility. His head came first then the rest of him, and he sat down on his haunches in front of her, grinning up at her with a wide, fiendish grin.

But that wasn't the most bizarre thing about him. Not even by half.

Soul was dressed in a light grey, murky suite, the grey material hanging off of him to reveal his bare chest beneath it, complete with his muscles and the scar he'd received from Crona. Strange markings that seemed awfully like tattoos covered his sleeves and pant legs, swirling symbols and lines standing out against the material. His feet were bare, and Maka saw, to her horror, that he was not all human.

Soul was part cat.

A mangy, bony tail sprouted from the bottom of his spine, grey and ugly and curling up to a pathetic tuff of hair on the end of his tail, the albino swishing his tail back and forth and causing it to dancing in the air. Two cat ears poked from his mess of white hair, and a large, golden hoop earring hung from his right ear, the gold ornament bouncing as his ears twitched this way and that.

And everything about him just seemed more cool and feline, the way he looked, the way he moved, the way he spoke. He purred and drawled out his words, and he cocked his head to one side as he spoke, his tail still swishing, a Cheshire cat grin spreading across his face to reveal rows of sharp, deadly teeth. And was it just her, or was his skin more pale than usual, almost seeming to be a sickly shade of white.

And his eyes weren't normal. They glowed, standing out on his face in brilliant shades of red that flashed with the light, making him look utterly terrifying.

Maka gaped at him, unable to speak, and she watched as Soul rolled his eyes skyward, his tail flicking in obvious irritation.

"Well, just my luck. She takes her sweet time in getting here, and then when she does, all she can do is gawk. Close your mouth Maka, you look like you're trying to catch flies or something."

Maka bristled, her mouth slamming shut. Eyes ablaze she jabbed a finger at him, causing Soul to snicker and pounce back a pace, the young man looking totally animalistic and feral.

"No, _you_ just shut your mouth, you damn cat! Stop bullying me! I won't take this crap!"

"There we go, see? Not so hard, right?"

"Fuck you!"

Soul gave a chuckle, rolling his eyes and wiggling his ears, causing his hoop earring to tingle, "Well, good to see you're still as bitchy as ever. Oh, and still as scatter brained. You dropped this."

Maka watched as the cat boy reached into his pocket, pulling out an all too familiar necklace. Maka let out a cry of delight and snatched it from him, eyes alight. But soon she felt her spirits sink, and she bit her lip, staring at her precious Omega.

"It's broken…but how?" she cried, holding up her perfectly halved symbol, the Omega sliced right down the middle. Soul gave it a glance and shrugged, cocking his head to the other side as she slipped it around her neck, returning it to its rightful place.

"Who knows? That's how I found it. You should take better care of your stuff. Hell, trust you to go losing all the important things."

Maka sighed, before without warning letting out a cry, looking around herself in horror.

She was horrible, she was terrible, and she was a cold hearted, stupid bitch. And she was never going to forgive herself.

"Crona! Oh no, oh no, oh no! Where is he? I lost him! Oh my god, Crona!" she sobbed, looking about wildly, as if expecting to see him pop out from behind a tree. But all she saw was endless green and mushrooms, odd, bizarre animals darting too a fro amongst the foliage.

It was a pity she didn't see the look of disgust creep onto Soul's face, his eyes flashing dangerously. His smile turned into a scowl, and his tail flicked dangerously, his eyes glowing blood red.

"Trust you to lose that thing. Well, whatever. It doesn't matter."

Maka stiffened at the tone in his voice, and she turned, just in time to watch Soul hurriedly look away, the cat boy lashing out at a nearby blue butterfly, catching it in his hands.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Maka asked, taking a few slow paces towards him, her tone dangerous. Soul looked up at her and shrugged, cool and nonchalant.

"Exactly what I mean. You're scatter brained. And besides, what does it matter now? Shouldn't you first figure out where you are before making any rash decisions? You could get yourself killed if you don't…"

Maka frowned, not liking the ominous sound of that last part. Was there something dangerous in this place that she didn't know about? But how could there be? Look at it!

But he did have a point. She needed to know just what this place was anyway.

But…oddly enough, she knew exactly where she was.

"I'm in my soul..." Maka murmured, placing a hand to her chest, looking around with wide eyes. Soul gave her a smirk and gave a small, mocking round of applause, stupidly letting go of his butterfly in the process.

"Well done! You pass question one! What a good little A student!"

Maka scowled, before whipping out a book from seemingly out of nowhere, aiming for the cats head. Soul saw the attack coming and let out a yowling shriek, trying to disappear. But she was too fast, and her book hit his head hard, seemingly striking thin air. He let out a shriek of pain and reformed on the ground, clutching his head between his knees as his ears shrank low to his head, the mangy cat reeling from his Meister's infamous Maka Chop.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?"

"For being a smart ass with your damn comments!"

"Well what did you expect from me?"

Maka pouted, turning away from him, muttering under her breath, "Damn Cheshire cat…"

At that, Soul perked up, eye brows raised, "Say that again, but louder. I never got you the first time!"

The blond woman whirled around to face him, eyes alight and angry, "I called you that damn Cheshire c-,"

But she cut off, her eyes going wide with sudden understanding and recognition.

She knew where she was. In fact, she'd known all along. How could she possibly have missed it? It was staring her right in the face.

_Oh that can't be helped. We're all mad here…_

_Come on Maka sweetie, tell mamma about your Wonderland!_

This fantastic place, memories of a world she had been told about as a child, the stories read to her by her Papa every day and night. She remembered how Spirit Albarn would lift her into his arms and sit with her in bed, reading to her out of the picture books, teaching her to read and showing her pictures and playing silly little games. And she'd laugh and giggle and play with his hair and try to read the book herself, pointing out all her favorite characters to her beloved Papa. And he'd make her tea and they'd sit and sing the nursery rhymes until finally she would fall asleep in Spirits arms, clutching her beloved bunny teddy to her chest.

It was always the same story. It had taken up her entire world, and even until this day, a part of her had never let it go. She cherished the memories of her happy childhood, and she refused to let them go. And in doing so, they had changed who she was.

"Wonderland…" Maka finally murmured, everything clicking into place inside her head. She looked back to Soul, and she caught him grinning at her, revealing his sharp teeth once more.

"That's the place. You're just the classic odd ball. Some have endless beaches. Some have jazz rooms, some have never ending lakes…but you," he shook his head, rolling his eyes skyward, "You went over kill. You don't just have one thing taking up an entire world. You made one yourself. An entire universe, just for yourself. Talk about over zealous."

Maka stared at him, before letting out a happy laugh, shaking her head, "So you're not the real Soul, are you? You're just another part of me, a part of my soul…more like some twisted Halloween decoration, though…"

Soul nodded, making another swat at a butterfly but failing miserably, "Pretty much. I'm your weapon; hence I make a significant impact on your soul and who you are. And this reflects how you see me," he gave her a smug smirk, his eyes flashing, "It's flattering, really. I'm your guide? And I get to look this cool? You butter me up!"

Maka gave him a side long glare, one eyebrow raised, "Oh? You think that's cool? You actually just look like a mangy homeless cat…sorry to burst your cool little bubble."

Soul jerked as if shocked, and he threw her a vicious glare, obviously unimpressed, "Must you _always_ do that? It's not cool!"

The book worm waved him off, exasperated, "Whatever. Just do your job. Tell me where I have to go and what I have to do. I need to find Crona; I can't just sit around here!"

Soul bristled at that, but he forced his anger back, much to Maka's curiosity. What was it about Crona that was getting him so on edge?

She'd find out soon enough, surely, right?

"If you say so…but Maka, listen to me. This place, it isn't as it seems. It's beautiful, granted…but a new law runs this world, Maka. Nothing is the same. It's up to you to get to the bottom of it and piece what's left of this place back together again."

Maka frowned, watching as Soul began to fade out of the visible spectrum, intending to leave her alone again, "Wait! You don't make sense! New law? What's that supposed to mean? Soul! Don't you dare leave me here!"

"I can't stay, that's not the way it works, Maka! You be on your guard Flat Chest. I don't want to have to pick up what's left of you if you don't. Remember that nothing is as it seems here in Wonderland, and if you don't, you won't live to regret it. Follow the path that's been made already. I'll join you when I can. And whatever you do, don't linger to long in any place at once…"

And with that, Soul flashed her one last grin, his smile and narrowed glowing eyes all that was left of him. But soon even that was gone, and Maka found herself alone again in the Vale of Tears.

And as she took another glance around, she couldn't help but shudder, Souls words echoing in her head, like some ghostly mantra, warning her of dangers she couldn't see.

Everything just seemed a lot more menacing than it had moments before…more dark and eerie than it should.

Deciding to take his words to heart, Maka followed her weapons warning and took off down the path, looking this way and that, leaving the cliff and the gleaming stream behind her.

And once again, it was a pity she had no idea she was being watched…and that she had every right to be scared.

* * *

><p><strong>Yes, Maka is finally in her soul, AKA Wonderland! WOOT! Let the horror and twisted storyline begin! <strong>

** Lol, and did any of you see Soul coming as Cheshire? Now some of you must be all on edge, thinking, "OMG what is Crona?" but guess what? You won't find out yet. XD Only in the next chapter! *gasp* And what does Soul mean by all that? Why is Wonderland so dangerous? What could possibly hurt her in such a beautiful place? How is her time running out? And why is Soul so on edge about Crona? And speaking of Crona, where is he? All these questions will be answered in the next installment of Corrupted Fantasies: The Return to Madness! So hang on tight folks, this is about to get interesting!**

**Well, I hope everyone was in character! Insane Crona is a bitch to write for, because he loves to contradict himself. He remembers Maka but doesn't, then he loves her then he want to kill her. And in this case he did both at the same time. Yes, he has PMS, lets not talk about it it's one of his more sensitive topics. But yes, as I was saying, I hope everyone is in character! **

**And Entwined Chapter 9 is under way folks! I'll have it finished soon enough, that's a promise! **

**Love you all, and KEEP SPREADING THAT CROMA LOVE! **

**Ps: And if any of you have questiosn relating to the story or Alice Madness Returns, feel free to ask me, I will be happy to help out!**


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